


in which bucky barnes is a soft touch

by nativemossy



Category: Winter Soldier (Comics)
Genre: Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Has Cats, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Gen, One Shot, Pets, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:15:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24006466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nativemossy/pseuds/nativemossy
Summary: Bucky never saw himself as a cat man until he got a stupid cat of his own
Relationships: Alpine the Cat & James "Bucky" Barnes
Comments: 5
Kudos: 25





	in which bucky barnes is a soft touch

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by [this lovely fanart](https://mrgabel.tumblr.com/post/183362693754/happy-birthday-bucky) by mrgabel on tumblr >:D
> 
> for months i was like "i miss writing" as i held my one million unfinished drafts in my tiny hands so here this is

Bucky Barnes had no need for a cat. This, to him, was a pretty intuitive concept. He was frequently out of town on missions, or meetings, or whatever else Shield saw fit for him to do with his time, and when he wasn’t he was probably too busy having a mental breakdown to really be able to take care of another living being. He could barely take care of himself.

It only made sense that fate had decided that he was in need of a cat. Because fate loved doing the exact opposite of what would be good for Bucky Barnes. Growing up poor was like that, the war was like that, and his time as the Winter Soldier was especially like that. He supposed that his time as a semi-free man should likely go about the same. For continuity's sake.

“I don’t know why you’re looking at me like that. I’m not making you sit in that puddle.” Bucky tried, feeling his heart sink by the second. He was sure at one point the kitten had been white, but however long it had been away from its mother and running wild had left it matted in mud and who knows what else. Its watery blue eyes followed him as he crouched in the dim light by the bus stop, feeling a headache coming on. It let out a rumbling little mew as it realized he wasn’t going to do much more than frown down at it.

“No.” Sodden kittens apparently don’t care at all if one is a terrifying former assassin. It crept just a little bit closer to him, flicking a tiny ear as it went.

“Stop that. I don’t care.” Bucky was lying to himself at this point, clenching his hands in the lining of his jacket. The cat gave a purring little murrp at his remark, creeping another inch closer. He scowled weakly at the little scrap of fur, trying unsuccessfully to menace it into submission. 

The cat raised a tiny paw to his knee, delicately grazing his trousers as it peered mournfully at him. It was close enough where he could dimly see the shivering outline of its ribs through the waterlogged fur. His will crumbled, and he silently mourned his peaceful ride home as he scooped it up into the crook of his arm.

A bus ground to a halt in front of him, sending up a wave of filthy water that rose to soak his boots. He spared one last look into the night as he stepped aboard, his shivering companion held close to his chest.

**Author's Note:**

> I got realfacts college credit for this; wound up earning like a 97% yeehaw
> 
> check me out on [tumblr](https://nativemossy.tumblr.com/), [pillowfort](https://www.pillowfort.social/nativemossy), or [dreamwidth](https://nativemossy.dreamwidth.org/)


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